Georgia White

January 10, 1923 ~
June 08, 2017

Georgia Kathryn White, a life-long Montana resident, died on Wednesday, June 7, 2017, at Highgate Senior Living in Bozeman, Montana, where she had resided since 2006.

Georgia was born January 10, 1923, the ninth and last child of George and Gianda Johana (Hannah) Clements on a dryland farm her parents had homesteaded at O’Brien, Montana, southeast of Harlowton. Her mother, Hannah, died four months after giving birth to Georgia. In 1928 the family moved to Barber, Montana, and followed that with a move to Shawmut, Montana. Georgia began school in Shawmut at the age of five and graduated as the Shawmut High School Valedictorian in 1940. Unable to afford pursuing a college degree, Georgia enrolled at Spokane Telegraph School. Her first job was as an apprentice telegrapher with the Northern Pacific Railroad in Bozeman. She subsequently bid and was awarded telegraphy jobs with the Northern Pacific Railroad in Rivulet, St. Regis, Superior, and Townsend, Montana. It was in Townsend in late 1944 that she met Eugene Delbert (Gene) White. Georgia and Gene were married at Butte, Montana, in May of 1945. The two took up temporary residence at a number of locations in Montana and Wyoming while Gene worked for the Mountain States Telephone and Telegraph Company before he commenced employment with the Montana Power Company, first at Butte before moving in 1950 to Sheridan, Montana, where he became the local manager for the Montana Power Company. The couple resided in Sheridan until moving to a small ranch at Laurin, Montana, in 1976, a few years before Gene’s retirement from the Montana Power Company. Gene and Georgia left the Ruby Valley in 1990 and moved to Bozeman, where they ultimately became residents at Highgate Senior Living in 2006.

Georgia and Gene particularly liked traveling together – from the backroads of Montana to nearly all of the fifty states to international travel which included Australia, New Zealand, Europe, Canada, and Mexico. Georgia also liked gardening, music, and dancing as well as socializing with her friends at Highgate during her later years.

In addition to her husband, Gene, Georgia was preceded in death by her brothers, Everett and William and her sisters, Mabel, Irene, Vavene, Gladys, Ida, and Hazel. She is survived by her children, Kathie (Doc) Elder of Helena, MT, Gary (Carmen) White of Vacaville, CA, and Dee Jay (Pam) White of Houston, TX. She is also survived by four grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

A social to remember and celebrate Georgia’s life has been held at Highgate Senior Living in Bozeman. She will be missed by many in her family at Highgate. Cremation has taken place. Interment of the ashes of Georgia and Gene will take place at Mountain View Cemetery in Dillon, Montana, at a date to be determined.

Memorials in Georgia’s name may be made to the American Macular Degeneration Foundation, P.O. Box 515, Northampton, MA 01061-0515 or to a charity of the donor’s choice.